Six Quick Tips to Manage Your Gen-Zees

Gen-Zees are the new breed of worker. They are born between 1996 and 2010 and think differently from any other type of worker. These young people have grown up, in the shadow of climate doom, fears of economic collapse and, of course, the pandemic lockdowns. By the end of this year, it is expected that Gen-Zees will form 27% of our workforce, with that percentage, growing steadily over the next ten years.

22% of Gen Zs “job hop” every year. Gen Z are the most agile generation the workforce has ever seen, so don’t expect your Gen Z to work for you forever.

Weak management of these types of workers is therefore expensive for businesses.

If you want to cultivate and retain your existing Gen Zs, it is important for managers to encourage and motivate them in an attempt to continue to utilise their unique skillset and viewpoints.

1. Focus on output, not behaviour. Gen Zs are tied to their mobiles, more than any other generation, and generally spend over seven hours a day, scrolling through content. Rather than dismissing them as unproductive, managers should evaluate them on meaningful metrics. Gen Zs grew up in a world where technology was already fully integrated into their daily lives. They know how to gather and analyse information to make informed decisions. Set them targets. And give them truthful dialogue, if they fail to meet the expectations.
2. Regularly review. Annual appraisals are not effective with Gen Zs. They expect to hear from their managers on a regular, if not daily, basis. Having grown up with technology that provided them with information instantly, they value feedback on the spot and at frequent intervals. Try and schedule a short daily check-in, to give them a regular and reliable point of contact.
3. Form a team, as opposed to an army. Gen Zs are not accustomed to the workplace chain of command or company hierarchy. Managers should adopt a managerial style which emphasises collaboration and equal participation. If you encourage your Gen Zs to play a role in the team, they are more likely to be fulfilled in the workplace and work harder, better, faster, stronger.
4. Encourage flexibility, where possible. Statistics suggest that Gen Zs value flexibility in working patterns over salary. Gen Zs also value the concept of work-life balance, again, over salary. Gen Zs aren’t lazy – they just don’t want to “live to work.” Employers who offer options, such as hybrid working alongside a physical office, flexible hours, days, locations and even roles, will empower Gen Zs to achieve a better balance between work and personal life.
5. Rethink diversity and inclusion. Gen Z is the most diverse generation of workers in history. Managers should think bigger than age, religion, gender and race. Inclusivity to Gen Z means an employer that respects individuality, values everyone’s voice and creates a sense of belonging for all. Nine out of ten Gen Zs state that having a purpose is key to their job satisfaction. So don’t just offer them a job. Instead offer them an opportunity.
6. Harness your inner Harvey Specter. Empower and trust your Gen Z workers with autonomy in their roles and the freedom to get things done. Gen Zs value being permitted to contribute meaningfully to the organisation’s success. If Gen Zs are placed with a manager who they trust, their loyalty should never be doubted. As Harvey Specter famously stated, “Loyalty is a two-way street. If I’m asking for it from you, you’re getting it from me.”

Commentators suggest that Gen Zs have a short attention span and are addicted to technology. I would disagree. In my experience Gen Zs are hypercognitive, entrepreneurial and authentic.

So, if you want to inspire your Generation Zs, your managers should re-think the way in which they deal with them and recognise that a different work ethic is not necessarily the wrong work ethic.

In conclusion, as a manager, try not to be “sus” (abbreviation for suspect) or worse still, become an “NPC” (non-playable character). Instead, you should “slay” (do something particularly well) and aim to be the GOAT (greatest of all time).